University to host regional music conference, competition | Commerce Journal

"The City of Commerce and Texas A&M University-Commerce is gearing up to host a regional music competition slated to bring in hundreds of students, its first time doing so" inform Ryan Scott, Commerce news reporter.

The Music Building at Texas A&M University-Commerce will play host to the Texoma Regional Conference of the National Association of Teachers of Singing from Nov. 8 through 11.

The Regional Conference of the Texoma Region of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, also known as NATS, is scheduled to be held at A&M-Commerce from Nov. 8 through 11. The conference brings hundreds of students, teachers, coaches and performers every fall to the designated location for a week of music, competition and learning. The Texoma Region is the fifth largest region by membership in the country.

The solo singing competition routinely brings in many students, and Dr. Jennifer Glidden, Associate Professor of Music, Voice and Opera at A&M-Commerce, says that more than 700 students from high school, college and private voice studios will come from across Texas and Oklahoma to compete.

The general public is allowed to come and listen to any audition during the competition. But the competition isn’t the only draw for the conference. Multiple performers and lecturers will be on hand to provide insight into the music world and provide a unique fine arts experience.

Thursday night will see a public performance by Soprano Elizabeth Baldwin. Baldwin’s accolades include performances with the New York City Empire Opera and Dallas Opera. Friday will be a special treat, as students from the A&M-Commerce music department put on a production of the opera Xerxes, by Handel.

A&M-Commerce will be represented well, as 20 students are slated to compete in the solo competition. Glidden says that the opportunity for the university to host such a large event reflects well on the department and the institution as a whole.

“We would not be able to do this without the facilities we have and all of the hard work our department does,” Glidden says. “The Music Building will be closed for classes during this time, we are going all out on this.”

For more information, contact the music department at 903-886-5303. For a schedule of events during the Texoma NATS Regional Conference, visit http://www.texomanats.org/Schedule_of_Events_2017.html.

Source: Commerce Journal